Apparatus for cleaning and maintenance of golf equipment

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for maintaining shoe cleats and cleaning the face of golf club heads that has an elongated brush mounted on a stem emanating from a first side of a brush unit and a plurality of bristles emanating from a second side of the brush unit. When not in use, the elongated brush stores in a storage cavity that is part of a separate cleat removal fixture. The cleat removal fixture and brush unit a held together by a friction fitting.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This present application is related to a provisional application Ser.No. 60/930,552 filed on May 17, 2007, entitled “Cleat Pro 3 N1”, byJoseph De Leon, et al., currently pending, for which the priority datefor this application is hereby claimed.

BACKGROUND

In many sports, there is often the need to maintain sporting equipmentwhile engaged in the sporting activity. Golf is no exception in thatmuch of the equipment required by golfers requires maintenance andcleaning during the activity. For example, avid golfers may need toreplace cleats on their shoes as the cleats become worn during thecourse of play. Likewise, cleats on golf shoes may become dirty and as aresult become less effective. The golf clubs themselves may requireperiodic cleaning, especially on the contact portion of the club head.Dirt and other debris can become lodged in the fine grooves typicallyfound on such club heads. Such debris again interferes with theperformance of the golf club.

Unlike many other sports, golfers need to carry their sporting gearalong with them. In the game of golf, a golfer needs an entire cadre ofgolf clubs in order to be an effective player. Of course, some golferswill use a caddy or a golf-car in order to avoid the need to shoulderthe weight of their golf clubs and golf bag. However, many golfers willcarry their golf clubs over their shoulder and walk the entire course asa form of exercise. In such case, even the most fit and trim individualswould not want to carry additional weight, especially when the weight isin the form of tools necessary maintain their equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects are better understood from the following detaileddescription of one embodiment of the invention with reference to thedrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates one example embodiment ofa golf equipment cleaning and maintenance tool;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial diagram that depicts one example placement of acleat removal tool;

FIGS. 3 and 4A are cross section diagrams that depict how the elongatedbrush is stored in a storage cavity in one example embodiment of a golfequipment cleaning and maintenance tool;

FIG. 4B is a pictorial diagram that illustrates how, according to oneexample embodiment, the brush unit and the cleat removal fixture arecoupled together;

FIGS. 5 and 6 of our pictorial diagram is that illustrate the union ofthe cleat removal fixture and the brush unit; and

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are various pictorial illustrations that depictshow, according to one illustrative embodiment, various cleat removaltools are attached to a cleat removal fixture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates one example embodiment ofa golf equipment cleaning and maintenance tool. In this exampleembodiment, a cleaning and maintenance tool comprises two parts. A firstpart comprises a brush unit 15 and a second part comprises a cleat aremoval fixture 10. In one example embodiment, the brush unit 15includes an elongated brush 30 that is mounted on a stem 25. In thisexample embodiment, the stem 25 emanates from a first side of the brushunit 15. Typically, the elongated brush 30 is used for cleaning the faceof a golf club. In yet another example embodiment, the brush unit 15includes a plurality of bristles 20 emanating from a second a side ofthe brush unit 15. In yet another alternative embodiment, the bristles20 are surrounded by a shroud 22 in order to prevent the bristles 20from causing injury to a human user. Typically, the bristles 20emanating from the second side of the brush unit 15 are used to cleancleats on the bottom of a shoe. In yet another alternative exampleembodiment, the plurality of bristles 20 emanating from the second sideof the brush unit 15 are grouped in clusters. The clusters 27 aredisposed on the second side of the brush unit 15 in a manner so as tocoincide with prongs 43 integral to a cleat 41 intended to be cleaned bythese bristles 20. Accordingly, in such an alternative embodiment, acluster of bristles 27 will typically be disposed on the second side ofthe brush unit chose to coincide with a gap 47 in a cleat. This allowsthe cluster of bristles 27 to more effectively engage with the cleat 41.Once engaged with the cleat 41, the brush unit 15 can be rotated 37 backand forth around the cleat in order to remove debris therefrom.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial diagram that depicts one example placement of acleat removal tool. According to one alternative example embodiment, acleat removal tool 50 is disposed on a second side 45 of the cleatremoval fixture 10.

It should be appreciated that the cleat removal tool 50, according toone illustrative example embodiment, is integral to the cleat removalfixture 10. In other embodiments, as introduced infra, the cleat removaltool 50 is a separate assembly that is affixed to the cleat removalfixture 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the cleat removalfixture 10 also provides storage and protection from the elongated brush30 included in the brush unit 15.

FIGS. 3 and 4A are cross section diagrams that depict how the elongatedbrush is stored in a storage cavity in one example embodiment of a golfequipment cleaning and maintenance tool. As illustrated in this diagram,one illustrative embodiment provides a storage cavity 60, which iscreated by walls 12 that are included in the cleat removal fixture 10.

FIG. 4B is a pictorial diagram that illustrates how, according to oneexample embodiment, the brush unit and the cleat removal fixture arecoupled together. In this example embodiment, the elongated brush 30included in the brush unit 15 is inserted into the cavity 60 provided bythe cleat removal fixture 10. Once the brush unit 15 and the cleatremoval fixture 10 are brought together, they are held together by oneor more friction devices 75. In one alternative example embodiment, agroove 77 is provided about the periphery of the cleat removal fixture10. In this example embodiment, a rubber seal ring (commonly referred toas an “O” ring) is disposed in the groove 77. As the inner wall 83 ofthe brush unit 15 makes contact with the O-ring 80, a friction contactis developed. Accordingly, a force 88 is needed to overcome the frictioncontact so as to unite the brush unit 15 with the cleat removal fixture10. Likewise a force 89 is required to overcome the friction contact soas to separate the brush unit 15 from the cleat removal fixture 10.

FIGS. 5 and 6 of our pictorial diagram is that illustrate the union ofthe cleat removal fixture and the brush unit. In this exampleembodiment, when the brush unit 15 is denied with the cleat removalfixture 10, a compact and lightweight tool assembly is realized. Thecleat removal tool 50 is readily useful without disassembly of theapparatus described herein. And the bristles organized as clusters 27are readily available to clean cleats, also without disassembly of theapparatus. When the elongated brush 30 is required, the cleat removalfixture 10 to separated from the brush unit 15 in order to expose theelongated brush 30, which can then be used to clean golf clubs. Itshould further be appreciated that the bristles organized as clusters 27or the elongated brush 30, according to various alternative examplevitamins, may be made out of any suitable brush material includingnylon, wire, steel, brass and the like. It should be appreciated thatthis enumeration of example brush materials is not intended to limit thescope of the claims appended hereto.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are various pictorial illustrations that depictshow, according to one illustrative embodiment, various cleat removaltools are attached to a cleat removal fixture. It should be appreciatedthat various styles of shoe cleats are utilized not only in the sport ofgolf, but in other sports as well. Accordingly, an apparatus asdescribed herein, according to one alternative example embodiment,should be able to accommodate various cleat designs. For example, inFIG. 7, a first type of cleat 90 requires a particular pattern 95 forengagement with a first type of cleat removal tool 100. In FIG. 8, yet asecond type of cleat 110 would require a different pattern 112 in yet asecond type of cleat removal tool 105. Accordingly, various types ofengagement patterns would be provided by various types of cleat removaltools and the scope of the claims appended hereto is not intended to belimited to any particular type of cleat engagement pattern that may bedepicted in the figures referenced herein. As illustrated in FIG. 9, anyparticular cleat removal tool 105, according to this example embodiment,is attached to the cleat removal fixture 10 by a fastener 120. Thefaster 120 is received by a fastener receiver 140 included in the cleatremoval fixture 10. A fastener receiver 140, according to one exampleembodiment, comprises a threaded hole. In this example embodiment, thefaster comprises a threaded faster. In yet another alternative exampleembodiment, an anti-twist mechanism is provided so as to precluderotation of the cleat removal tool 105 relative to the cleat removalfixture 10. In one example embodiment, the anti-twist mechanismcomprises one or more prongs 125 that are received in receptaclesincluded in the cleat removal tool 105.

FIG. 1 further illustrates that, according to one alternativeembodiment, an apparatus for cleaning and maintenance of golf equipmentfurther includes a clasp ring 12 for attachment of a lanyard.

While this invention has been described in terms of several preferredembodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications,permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of thedrawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of thepresent invention include all such alternatives, modifications,permutations, and equivalents. Some, but by no means all of the possiblealternatives are described herein.

1. An apparatus for maintaining show cleats comprising: a first partcomprising a brush unit including an elongated brush mounted on a stememanating from a first side of the brush unit and a plurality ofbristles emanating from a second side of the brush unit; a second partcomprising a cleat removal fixture that includes a cleat removal tooland a storage cavity for storing the elongated brush said storage cavityopposing the cleat removal tool wherein the first part and the secondpart are coupled together to protect the elongated brush.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleat removal tool is attached to thesecond part by means of an anti-twist mechanism and a fastener.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein first part and the second part are heldtogether using a friction interface.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe cleat removal tool is integral to an external surface of the secondpart said external surface being opposed to the storage cavity.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the bristles emanating from the second sideof the brush unit are surrounded by a shroud substantial equal to orgreater in height as the bristles.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe bristles emanating from the second side of the brush unit groupedtogether in clusters and said clusters are disposed on the second sideof the brush unit so as to substantially coincide with gaps in a cleat.7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein elongated brush has bristles thatemanated from the stem in a manner that is substantially perpendicularto the stem.